USA > Minnesota > Fillmore County > In the World War : Fillmore County, Minnesota > Part 15
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Fillmore County led many counties in the state and the first district led the entire state in reaching the quota. More than $50,000 was raised and sent to Thomas Meighen who handled the funds and sent them to the state committee.
FILLMORE COUNTY
Farm Labor Bureau
I N THE SPRING of 1918 when the government asked the farmers for a maximum production there was organized in Fillmore County a Farm Labor Bureau.
This bureau was an extension of the Agricultural Department of the government to come into immediate contact with the farmer. It was not the object of this bureau to tell the farmers what to raise, but to help them with their farm problems.
The man who was put in charge of the work in Fillmore County was William Dietrich, County Agent, of Preston, Minn. Mr. Dietrich and his associates did much to assist the farmer, the farmer's wife, and the farmer's children to take a greater interest in their homes, in their products, and in their social conditions.
Under a plan evolved by Mr. Dietrich a voluntary registration of the clerks and employers in the towns and villages took place. These men signified their willingness to work two days a week in times of extreme labor shortage on the farms at the low rate of wages of thirty cents an hour and board.
The following men were appointed by Mr. Dietrich as local executives of the County Farm Labor Bureau for their respective communities:
Prosper-G. Jorgenson Lanesboro-Charles E. Gillin
Highland-Jacob Jenson Wykoff-F. J. Paul
Canton-J. A. Masters
Bratsberg-Gerhard Byholt
Whalan-A. I. Swenson Mabel-Fred W. Bacon
Rushford-J. G. Roberton
Chatfield-Earl Springer & G. Haven
Peterson-O. S. Retrum
Cherry Grove-John Skavel
Preston-County Agent Dietrich
Harmony-Julius Johnson
Ostrander-A. M. Richardson
Fountain-P. M. Schmelzer
Spring Valley-J. W. Barber
Fuel Administration
M INNEAPOLIS was headquarters for the Minnesota Fuel Administra- tion. The office of the state administrator was a busy place, handling a mass of detail and recording information that was essential to the regulation of fuel prices. The most effective work, however, was done by the personal appearance of the Fuel Administrator in Washington, where he safeguarded the coal supply for the state for two winters.
At one time all the coal that trains could carry for ten days, to the exclu- sion of shipments elsewhere, was hurried to Lake ports for Minnesota and adjoining Northwest states. This was done on the appeal of the fuel ad- ministrators of the two Dakotas and Minnesota, and the action of the Fed- eral Fuel Director, H. A. Garfield. It saved the Northwest from a coal famine, because these ten days were the last days before the close of Lake traffic.
The administration of the state office was concerned first in preventing profiteering, and in restricting sales of coal to consumers to a stipulated per- centage of profit.
Mr. M. V. Facey, Preston, was appointed Fillmore County Fuel Ad- ministrator and was charged with the duty of receiving reports required from the local dealers.
The township and village administrators serving throughout the county were the same men who acted as local food administrators, the work being done in connection with that of controlling the food supply as used and to enforce regulations.
HONOR ROLL
Fillmore County Schools
T HE FILLMORE COUNTY Teacher's Patriotic League was organized at the 1917 Teachers' Institute at Spring Valley. The league was fortu- nate in having as its president Mrs. Fanny Kelly, whose entire life has been devoted to the rural school work of Fillmore County.
Mrs. Kelly organized the patriotic work under the heads of health, citi- zenship and activities. The first, and most vital, was the health department of which Miss Edna Densmore of Spring Valley was chairman. Through her untiring efforts and the co-operation of the physicians of the county, a health survey was made of all schools in the county. When the work of making the survey was complete and the reports had been made out, a detailed report on prevailing conditions was made by Rev. Souders of Preston, who lent valuable aid to the publicity work of the health campaign.
The citizenship department encouraged the organization of a Little Citizens League. Little Citizens were the 6,190 school children of the county. The motive of organization of these clubs was two-fold in nature. First through the organization and management of the clubs, the children were trained in the ideals of Americanism. Second, through the project work they were led to appreciate the value of agriculture and home work. The selection and management of these projects was left to the domestic science and agri- culture teachers of the central schools.
During the trying days of the war, food conservation periods were ob- served. The children were instructed in the various methods of conserva- tion and were encouraged in the raising of vegetables and farm animals. Through the efforts of this department the Fair association at Preston, fur- nished space at the fair for exhibits of the children's work and offered pre- miums for the children's section.
In the work of the activities department, Mrs. Kelly was ably assisted by the superintendents, teachers and other school personnel. Junior Red Cross work was organized in all the schools under the direction of Miss Merle Anderson of Preston who was appointed County chairman. Each child was helped to know that he was doing his bit toward paying his debt to the gov- ernment.
Another very important part of the activities work was under the direct supervision of Superintendent L. C. McCarty, as chairman of the Fillmore County War Savings Stamps committee. Each child was encouraged to invest in a government bond of some kind, thereby starting out on the path of thrift. Children's thrift clubs were organized in the various schools of the county which further encouraged the children in the learning of thrift.
These clubs and the meetings of the Little Citizens clubs were devoted to programs which were selected from various topics on Public Information and on Thrift as selected by Superintendent Oscar Olson. A. W. Thompson, Preston, Public Safety Commissioner, also lent his assistance to the work of education of the children in patriotic matters.
All this patriotic work of the schools was done in connection with the regular school work and the value of the results in the patriotic education of the coming generation is untold.
The schools of the county were not slow to grasp their opportunity for rendering service to their country and prove their loyalty to the Schoolmaster President, Mr. Wilson.
-Contributed by Miss Cora Bigelow, County Superintendent of Schools.
FILLMORE COUNTY
American Library Association.
I N THE FALL of 1917 the government placed the responsibility of organ- izing libraries, maintaining and equipping the same for the use and en- joyment of America's soldiers, in the hands of the American Library Association.
The aim of the association was to place in the hands of the soldiers good reading material which would at all times be readily accessible in the various camps, cantonments and training stations in the States and also abroad in the various hospitals, rest camps, and prison camps. In fact everywhere America's soldiers were, the Library association followed them up with books, newspapers and magazines.
The committee in charge of this work asked for $1,000,000 and the same number of books. Fillmore County's apportionment was $250 and 250 books.
Acting under the able management of Mrs. E. B. Read, Preston, who was chairman of the Fillmore County Branch of the American Library Asso- ciation, the work was carried on with a success much greater than planned and as a result of the first drive $506 and 612 books were collected and turned over to the national association for use of the soldiers.
Y. M. C. A.
T HE Y. M. C. A. drive in Fillmore County was made Nov. 11 to 19, 1917. It was directed by a committee composed of the following: James G. Roberton, Rushford; Orva S. Knudsen, Lanesboro; G. A. Haven, Chat- field; C. H. Smith, Spring Valley; Dr. M. D. Ogg, Wykoff; Dr. Carlos Sel- vig, Harmony; J. A. Fife, Canton; R. J. Stroud, Mabel; and John W. Hopp, of Preston, who was chairman of the committee.
In each township and district the members of the committee were ably assisted by many volunteer solicitors and by their combined efforts secured approximately $15,000 for this great work.
The first district of Minnesota, consisting of eight counties in southeastern Minnesota, was allotted a quota to raise of $100,000 and of this quota, Fill- more County's share was fourteen thousand dollars.
The fact that there had been no Y. M. C. A. work done prior to this time in Fillmore County, made the results of this drive the more wonderful as the people themselves had not come into actual contact with the work and knew very little about the Y. M. C. A. except that which they had heard or read in the newspapers and magazines.
Since the first Y. M. C. A. drive, at various times donations have been made by various societies and workers which has greatly raised the Y's re- ceipts to enable them to carry on the work of making the soldiers, both at home and abroad, a cleaner and happier collection of men.
Local organization work of the Y. M. C. A. was not begun until the summer of 1919 at which time F. W. Leggitt was appointed secretary of Fillmore County Y. M. C. A. activities.
HONOR ROLL
Pilot Mound Township Honor Roll
Just to show in a detailed manner the wonderful response of the Fillmore County people to the call of their country in the time of its most dire need the following honor roll is given.
To make a detailed report, such as this, of the entire county is naturally an impossibility. For this reason one township was taken at random. This is not an extraordinary example but simply goes to show what was done over the entire county. The wonderful sacrifices of the people, made with an unselfishness of spirit which is truly typical of the American citizen, have served to make a record which will stand for all time, as a true example of the spirit of patriotism.
Here is the record of Pilot Mound Township during the war:
Organization
Subscribed
Y. M. C. A.
Allotment None
$ 240.00
United War Work
$ 1,737.60
1,814.00
Red Cross
4,673.43
War Savings Stamps
14,000.00
1st Liberty Loan.
None
2,950.00
2nd Liberty Loan
18,300.00
18,700.00
3rd Liberty Loan.
28,906.00
29,200.00
4th Liberty Loan
36,132.00
37,100.00
5th Liberty Loan
28,000.00
29,350.00
Total invested in Liberty Bonds
$117,300.00
American and Syrian Relief .
None
100.00
Salvation Army
None
174.25
Total subscribed in township
$138,301.68
The township of Pilot Mound never failed to raise its quota and went over the top in each and every drive made for funds to aid the government in its work to down the Hun.
For going over the top in the Third Liberty Loan drive the township was awarded a Flag from the U. S. Treasury department and again in the Fourth Loan. In the Last Loan the township was awarded a German Helmet for going over its quota.
Following is an individual record of the workers in the township who were actively engaged in war work:
M. O. HOWE, Chatfield, Pilot Mound town- ship.
Registrar for selective draft registration, Chatfield.
Chairman of following committees and drives: Red Cross Membership drive. Red Cross drive for funds. Y. M. C. A. drive. United War Work campaign. Red Cross Sale. 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Liberty Loan drives. Salvation Army drive. Red Cross chairman for Pilot Mound chapter. Homecoming drive.
F. G. SANDERS 3rd Loan drive. 1st and 2nd Red Cross drives. Y. M. C. A. drive.
ALEX MCCONOCHIE 2nd, 3rd, 5th Loan drives. 1st Red Cross drive. Red Cross sale. Home Coming drive.
COLBIN THORSON 3rd, 4th, 5th Loan drives. 2nd Red Cross drive. Salvation Army drive.
T. E. SORENSON 2nd Loan drive. 2nd Red Cross drive.
FILLMORE COUNTY
Red Cross drive for clothes. United War Work campaign drive. W. S. S. drive. JOHN E. RAIN 2nd, 5th Loan drives. Three Red Cross drives. United War Work drive. Home Coming drive.
JOHN O. LANSKOV 2nd, 3rd Loan drives. 1st Red Cross drive. United War Work drive. Salvation Army drive.
ADOLPH SORENSON 4th, 5th Loan drives. 1st Red Cross membership drive and sale. C. G. EGGE 2nd, 3rd, 5th Liberty Loan drives.
ED. ODEGARDEN 3rd Loan. United War Work drive. Salvation Army drive.
I. E. PERSONS
1st Red Cross drive. Red Cross sale. Salvation Army drive.
ALFRED RAIN 1st Red Cross drive.
2nd Red Cross drive. Y. M. C. A. and W. S. S. drives.
ANTON ASK 1st and 2nd Red Cross drives. Y. M. C. A., W. S. S., and Homecoming drives.
PETER ERICKSON 1st Red Cross membership drive. 2nd Red Cross drive. Red Cross drive for clothing.
SIMON SICKLE 1st Red Cross drive. Red Cross sale. Salvation Army drive.
A. P. THOMPSON 1st and 2nd Red Cross drives. 2nd and 5th Loan drives. Red Cross sale. Homecoming drive.
E. A. NESS 3rd Loan drive. Red Cross sale.
A. P. FERGUSON
Red Cross sale and membership drive. 4th Loan drive.
JOHN T. BRAKKE 1st Red Cross drive. Red Cross drive for clothing.
N. D. MILLER 1st Red Cross drive. Red Cross sale. 5th Loan drive.
ANTON JACOBSON 1st and 2nd Red Cross drives.
MARTIN SWENSON 3rd Loan drive. 2nd Red Cross drive. WILLIAM COCKER Chairman W. S. S. drive.
WALTER COCKER 1st Red Cross drive. MRS. INGVALD PETERSON Red Cross drive for clothing. MISS ALMA OLSON Red Cross drive for clothing. Homecoming drive.
MRS. ED. ODEGARDEN Red Cross sale. MRS. E. A. NESS Red Cross sale. In charge of Southeastern unit of Pilot Mound Red Cross chapter.
MRS. M. O. HOWE Red Cross sale. In charge of Shipping and packing de- partment of Pilot Mound Red Cross. MRS. WILLIAM COCKER Red Cross drive for clothing.
MISS ELVA RAIN 1st Red Cross drive. Vice-chairman Red Cross. Assistant clerk registration day. Clerk of 4th, 5th Liberty Loan drives. Homecoming drive.
MISS MORRILLA HOWE
Assistant registrar on draft and Alien registration. 4th and 5th Liberty Loan drives. Acted as secretary to M. O. Howe who acted as chairman of almost every drive in the township. MRS I. E. PERSONS Assistant clerk on Registration day. Secretary and committee worker of Red Cross from time of organization.
MELVIN THOMPSON 2nd Red Cross drive.
THOMAS A. HAUGEN
2nd Red Cross drive.
OLE T. OLNESS 2nd Red Cross drive.
INGVALD PETERSON 2nd Red Cross drive.
OLE QUARSTAD 2nd Red Cross drive.
WILLIAM NISBET 2nd Red Cross drive.
MELVIN JACOBSON 2nd Red Cross drive.
EDWARD BREKKE Red Cross drive for clothing.
MELVIN HALL 1st Red Cross drive. Red Cross drive for clothing.
OSCAR IVERSON United War Work drive.
CLARENCE C. MILLER
WV. S. S. drive.
O. N. THORSON WV. S. S. drive.
OSCAR ERICKSON United War Work campaign drive.
AUGUST STROM 1st Red Cross drive.
ALBIN HANSON
1st Red Cross drive.
ALFRED HERMANSON Red Cross sale.
HARTWELL SICKLE 2nd Red Cross drive.
THEODORE REDALEN 2nd Red Cross drive.
ALVIN HAAKENSON 1st Red Cross drive.
ELFA SICKLE Red Cross sale.
MRS. COLBIN THORSON Red Cross sale. Served on purchasing committee of Red Cross since organization.
HONOR ROLL
MISS EVA THORSON Served on Red Cross drive for clothing. MISS EVA OLSON Red Cross sale. MRS. SIMON REDALEN Red Cross sale.
MISS RUBY SKRUKRUD Red Cross sale.
Homecoming drive. MRS. ADOLPH SORENSON Red Cross sale. Homecoming drive. MRS. N. D. MILLER Red Cross drive for clothing. Member of Purchasing committee of Red Cross chapter.
MISS ETTA SICKLE Red Cross drive for clothing.
M. W. AHERN 1st Red Cross drive. Homecoming drive.
ANTON FOSS Y. M. C. A. drive. Red Cross drive for clothing. HANS PETERSON W. S. S. drive.
HENRY MOEN 5th Loan drive. Salvation Army drive.
AMUND OLSON 4th Liberty Loan drive. Y. M. C. A. drive.
ANTON KOPPANG 4th Liberty Loan drive. Y. M. C. A. drive.
JAMES COCKER Y. M. C. A. drive. United War Work drive.
OLE TORKELSON Y. M. C. A. drive. REUBEN HARRISON Y. M. C. A. drive.
WILLIAM MCKEOWN
United War Work campaign drive. JOHN L. ANDERSON
United War Work campaign drive. AUSTEN HAAKENSON United War Work campaign drive. W. L. HARRISON United War Work campaign drive. THOMAS STROM
United War Work campaign drive. , Homecoming drive.
EDWIN SICKLE 4th and 5th Liberty Loan drives.
JOHN T. COCKER
2nd Liberty Loan drive.
T. D. OLSON 2nd Liberty Loan drive. Auctioneer at Red Cross sale.
T. O. JOHNSON 3rd, 4th and 5th Liberty Loan drives.
P. E. BORGEN
3rd, 4th Liberty Loan drives.
M. O. SKRUKRUD 4th and 5th Liberty Loan drives.
O. A. HAUGEN
5th Liberty Loan drive.
SIMON REDALEN 3rd Liberty Loan drive. PETER DAHL 4th Liberty Loan drive.
ANDREW ANDERSON 4th Liberty Loan drive.
SAM CUNNINGHAM 2nd Liberty Loan drive. Assistant on other drives.
HENRY STROM 2nd Red Cross drive.
ALVIN KOPPANG
2nd Red Cross drive.
JACOB TANGEN 2nd Red Cross drive.
HENRY HALL 2nd Red Cross drive.
THE GREAT WORLD WAR
An Illustrated Review of the
World War
THE GREAT WORLDWAR
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood.
The Deutschland in a French Harbor After the Armistice.
THE GREAT WORLD WAR
AN ILLUSTRATED REVIEW
HEN the World War ended on November 11th, 1918, the armed forces of 25 nations of the globe had been hurling their armics against each other for more than four years in the most colossal struggle of history. After a con- flict without parallel, it ended in its 52d month with a casualty total nearing the ten million mark.
Set off by the murder of an ordinary Austrian archduke on June 28th, 1914, by a Serbian political fanatic, the conflagration which had threatened the peace of Europe for decades was thus destined to embroil the leading powers of the world in the most costly and bloody strife known to man.
After a month's diplomatic argument over the affair, Austria formally opcned hostili- ties with her declaration of war on Serbia. General mobilization followed quickly in Russia; a "state of war" was almost immediately declared in Germany. Then on August 1st Germany declared war on Russia, following this with an ultimatum to Belgium demanding that her troops be given free passage across that country. On August 3d, the Teutons included France on their list of enemies. This was followed next day by an ultimatum to Germany from Great Britain demanding that the neutrality of Belgium be respected. When this assurance was not granted by Emperor Wilhelm, Great Britain
HIFI
AN ILLUSTRATED REVIEW
declared war on Germany. A quick succession of war declarations finally involved the greater share of Europe by the end of the summer.
Mad with the ruthless spirit of conquest the Central Powers marched their armies off to war in grand fashion, boasting that they would return by Christmas time, the con- querers of Europe. Their amazing preparations for the dream of world power almost brought within their grasp the greedy ambition of the Junkers.
The initial successes of the German army in its advance through Belgium and on to- ward Paris astoundcd the world. England and France reeled and staggered before the terrific onslaught of the famous Prussian Guards and the other crack armies of the Central Powers. Swept off her feet almost by the spectacular aggression of the enemy, the fate of France virtually hung from a thread as the invaders triumphantly swept on and on.
Early in September, when they were practically within reach of Paris, the tide was turned against them in the battle of the Marnc, September 6-10. French themselves attribute their good fortune at this point to the hand of the Almighty rather than to their superior military strength at the time. This marked the enemy's point of farthest advance.
The atrocities of the advancing Huns during the months of their carly triumphs and conquest have been called infamous by conservative journalists and correspondents. Suffice to say, their bloodthirsty ambition to rule and conquer the world knew no bounds, and that their acts and deeds of disgrace will forever remain one of the darkest of the many blotches brought on the German people during the European war.
Believing that the United States had no part to play in the war at that time, President Woodrow Wilson, on August 4th, 1914, officially proclaimed the neutrality of the United States. The war was thus confined to Europe for many months, a struggle mainly between the two great European Alliances-the Triple Alliance composing Germany, Austria Hungary and Italy, against the Triple Entente, composing England, Russia and
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood.
Devastated Soissons After Its Recapture by Americans and French.
THE GREAT WORLD WAR
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood.
Belleau Wood, Famous as the Scene for one ofthe American Lads' Most Brilliant Victories.
France. Italy, originally a member of the Triple Alliance, but later one of the chief powers of the Allies, did not enter the war until 1915. She then declared war on all of Germany's Allies, but did not break with Germany herself until late in 1916. Before the war she was a member of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria but severed this connection to fight with the Allies.
After the marvelous advances of the first year, the great battle line in Europe re- mained practically stationary for nearly three years and extended over more than 300 miles. The large armies of each force fought doggedly, suffered heroically and died willingly, in a mighty death-grip whose battles surpassed the most famous of previous wars for loss of life and destruction of property.
The superb Armies of the Russians in the Eastern theater kept the attention of a large German force occupied and away from the Western Front. This fact aided the Allies tremendously and probably prevented a German Peace in the second and third years of the War.
It was while France, England and Italy werc staggering before the last big offensive of the enemy early in 1918 that America's force was thrown into the balance in sub- stantial numbers.
Her declaration of war against Germany on April 6th, 1917, grew out of the Central Powers' failure to recognize the rights of neutrals on the high seas. Repeatedly thc rights of the United States were violated, and just as repeatedly Germany refused to discontinue her ruthless program of submarine warfare against the world. The sinking of the Lusitania on May 7th, 1915, without warning and with the loss of 1154 lives, 114 of whom were Americans, was regarded by a great many as just cause for a declaration of war against Germany. The President and Congress believing differently, failed to act, and it was not until more sinkings of women and children that the United States decided to step into the breach herself.
AN ILLUSTRATED REVIEW
Regarded as a mere "bluff" by her adversaries, the United States' entrance appar- ently failed to cause undue anxiety in Berlin. With an unprepared democracy for another enemy in which a great many were believed to have been opposed to war, Germany had little cause for worry, she declared.
But America went to work. The act produced an electrical effect on her people and almost instantly united her various factions, creeds, parties, and nationalities for one purpose-to crush Germany and her Allies. She became a workshop, with no hours, in her determination to end the European fight victoriously, and thus save democracy for the world. Every effort was bended to the cause, every penny of wealth was eagerly held ready for the call, and every atom of energy was expended in her feverish haste to redeem mankind.
Her sons by the hundreds of thousands rushed to the colors, as their fathers did in the wars of their day, to see another victory added to the flag which had never known defeat. That the distribution of soldiers throughout the land might be as nearly equit- able as possible, Congress passed the Selective Service Act in May, 1918, the greatest mobilization machinery developed by any of the 25 nations at war.
Naturally there were obstacles and delays. A nation's task in rising up over night to send a formidable force three thousand miles overseas to fight for world freedom is not the kind that can be accomplished without some disorder and delay. But loyalty and union did it, and on June 26th, 1917, only two months after the declaration of war, the first American doughboy landed on French soil. On November 3d, 1917, the Yanks had their first clash with the Germans. On January 31st, 1918, a report reached America that American infantrymen were occupying first line trenches for the first time.
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood. .
French Crossing a Perilous Bridge on the Advance Toward St. Quentin, 1917.
THE GREAT WORLD WAR
===
Copyright by Underwood & Underwood.
Austrian Artillerymen and Mechanics Assembling a Giant 30.5 Cm. Siege Gun for the Second Bombardment of Przemysl, June, 1915.
By this time the United States had declared a 'state of war existing with Austria Hungary, Germany's chief ally, and had swung her domestic machinery into the greatest war machine conceivable. She had begun to raise by popular bond subscriptions billions of dollars to supply guns and munitions, and food and clothes, for the boys who were going over to France to do the job.
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